Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

(09/20/2026) Gospel Reading: Matthew 20:1-16

“ Lord, How Often Shall I Forgive My Brother? 

 

Open our hearts, O Lord,
to listen to the words of your Son.

 

From the desk of Fr. Leo

     Jesus' parables, as always, are designed to shock us into thinking. It is normal for us to feel that the employer in the gospel story was unfair and that’s exactly how Jesus knew we would feel. It is true, the owner was more generous with some than with others, but was he unfair with anyone?

     In Jesus' society, a laborer was paid at the end of the day and the normal pay was just enough for a person to feed his family for one day. Could it be that the owner of the vineyard was more generous with some that none of the people who worked for him that day would have to beg, borrow or steal in order to feed their families the next day? Would that be unfair for the employer to do that? What do you think Jesus was trying to tell us?

     The clue to understanding this parable is where Jesus tells us, this is what the kingdom of heaven is like. Jesus was telling us why He was always willing to reach out to sinners, something he was frequently criticized for doing. He wants us to know it's never too late to find God if we wish to. Remember the good thief whom Jesus forgave on the cross. If we've not been living right, though, does not mean we can wait until the last minute to straighten ourselves out. If we do, we'll miss out on the joy of knowing God's love and presence in our lives right now and who knows whether we'll get the opportunity to repent at the last minute. “The usual daily wage” in the parable is a symbol for the immense happiness we will all have in God's kingdom. Some individuals may be closer to God because they served and loved God more faithfully than others, but we will all be equal in one way, whether we receive God's grace early or late in life. We will all be as happy as we can possibly be.

     Jesus explained His forgiveness of sinners by this parable. St. Matthew found it helpful to use this same parable for a similar purpose when he wrote his gospel probably 50 or 60 years after Jesus preached it. During this period, many Jewish Christians, who had lived their whole lives faithful to God's law, had difficulty accepting new converts into the Church, converts coming from paganism, who represented those who came late to the vineyard. The parable was meant to help Jewish Christians welcome those who came to know Christ later in life and accept them as equals in God's kingdom.

     We are always happy to see people turn their lives toward God, whether they have strayed at some time in their lives and came back, or whether for the first time, even late in life. What is important is, they become believers in Christ and join His Church.

Meditation: What can work and wages, welfare and the unemployed tell us about the kingdom of God? In the parable of the laborers in the vineyard we see the extraordinary generosity and compassion of God (Matthew 20:1-16). There is great tragedy in unemployment, the loss of work, and the inability to earn enough to live and support oneself or one's family. In Jesus' times laborers had to wait each day in the marketplace until someone hired them for a day's job. No work that day usually meant no food on the family table. The laborers who worked all day and received their payment complain that the master pays the late afternoon laborers the same wage. The master, undoubtedly, hired them in the late afternoon so they wouldn't go home payless and hungry.

God is generous and gives us work for his kingdom
God is generous in opening the doors of his kingdom to all who will enter, both those who have labored a life-time for him and those who come at the last hour. While the reward is the same, the motive for one's labor can make all the difference. Some work only for reward. They will only put in as much effort as they think they will get back. Others labor out of love and joy for the opportunity to work and to serve others. The Lord Jesus calls each one of us to serve God and his kingdom with joy and zeal and to serve our neighbor with a generous spirit as well.

Empowered to serve with a joyful and generous spirit
The Lord Jesus wants to fill each one of us with the power and strength of the Holy Spirit so we can bear great fruit for God's kingdom (the fruit of peace, joy, righteousness, and love) and also bring the fruit of his kingdom to our neighbor as well. We labor for the Lord to bring him praise, honor, and glory. And we labor for our neighbor for their welfare with the same spirit of loving-kindness and compassion which the Lord has shown to us.

Paul the Apostle reminds us, "Whatever your task, work heartily, as serving the Lord and not others, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward - you are serving the Lord Christ" (Colossians 3:23-24). Do you perform your daily tasks and responsibilities with cheerfulness and diligence for the Lord's sake? And do you give generously to others, especially to those in need of your care and support?

Lord Jesus,fill me with your Holy Spirit that I may serve you joyfully and serve my neighbor willingly with a generous heart, not looking for how much I can get, but rather looking for how much I can give.

read more at: http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org

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